Adjustable track for door-hangers



2 SheetsSheet I.

(No Model.)

R. W. LUNDY.

ADJUSTABLE TRACK FOR DOOR HANGERS- Patented Nov, 21,1893.

2 She'ets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) v

R, w. LUNDY. ADJUSTABLE TRACK FOB DOOR HANGERS.

Patented Npv. 21,1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD WV. LUNDY, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

ADJUSTABLE TRACK FOR DOOR-HANGERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,132, dated November21, 1893. Application filed April 13, 1892. fierial No. 429,029. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD W. LUNDY, of South Bend, in the county ofSt. Joseph and State of Indiana, haveinvented a new and usefulImprovement in Adjustable Tracks for Door-Hangers, of which thefollowing is a description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the support for the track ofthat class of door hangers which are adapted for use in residences withlaterally traveling or sliding doors.

The object of my invention is first, to provide a desirable support forthe rail or tracks so constructed as to permit of the adjustment of therail vertically either entirely or at one end for the purpose ofleveling it up; and second, to make the track nearly or quite noiseless,under the travel of the wheels of the door hangers thereon. F

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a View of my improved device, parts beingshown in sec tion. Fig. 2, is an elevation of the same device shown inFig. 1, taken at a right angle thereto on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, isa top plan view of the 'device, the supporting timber being omitted.Fig. 4, is a top plan view of the rail, the strengthening or reinforcingplate and the interposed strip. Fig. 5, is a view of a modified form ofthe device, parts being shown in section.

The hanger track or rail A is constructed of a flat bar of steelsupported horizontally in a longitudinal chamber therefor above the dooraperture of abuilding. The doorframe above the door includes thepermanent beam or timber B located above the hanger chamber to which thetrack bolts or suspending rods C are attached. In the form of deviceshown in F1gs. ,1, 2, 3 andd these suspending rods or bolts 0 are bentmedially atD thereby carrying the lower portion of the rod to one sideof and at a little distance from the vertical axis of its support in thebeam so that the track A which is affixed thereto at its lower end is inthe plane of the vertical axis of the support of the rod. Three of thesesupporting rods are used with each track, two being located at or nearthe side of the door opening and one in the center of the opening, onlyone of which however is shown, as the rods and their allied parts areduplicates of each other. The center bolt prevents the track fromspringing upward out of line when the doors are open and hanging uponthe unsupported ends. A reinforcing plate E also of steel andsubstantially'as long as the rail A, is located at a little distancetherefrom parallel thereto, and is connected rigidly therewith by thetransverse bolts F F through the rail, the interposed strip G and theplate E at the rear. The strip G is preferably of wood and is advisedlyas long as the rail, though several short strips or blocks of wood maybe used for this purpose instead of a single strip. Stay blocks H arebolted to the upper in proper positions thereon, through which the bolts0 pass. The bolts at their lower extremities are screw threaded and eachenters edge of the plate E a nut I, which turns thereon, the nut beingoverturned or headed at both ends forming a. medial peripheral channelin which the surrounding edge of the strip 0 is received, the out beinginserted revolubly in a rod or bolt aperture therefor in the strip G.The nut is provided with a slot 1 in its end for rotating it by means ofa proper tool, which it will be understood can be inserted thereinupwardly through the longitudinal slot in the easing or softit of thedoor in which the hanger frame travels. The nut I is revoluble in thestrip Gbut is held against endwise movement therein by its overturnedhead which prevents also all tilting of the track.

To provide for placing the nuts I in the strip G, a section G of thestrip is made removable, the sections being severally held in positionby the removable bolts F which pass through them. The upper extremitiesof the. rods 0 pass through the beam B and are secured therein by nuts Kturning thereon. These nuts are preferably provided with raof the rodsunder the weight of the hanger and its lead. A series of rod apertures MM M are formed in the strip G to provide for the proper location of thesuspending bolts 0 .95 dially extending arms L which are let into.

placed about the nut I in its in the nuts K and the track which areplaced at or near the sides of the door opening. A correspondingarrangement of the blocks H must of course be made and screw holes N inthe strip E are provided therefor.

For making the track noiseless it is soundinsulated by means of suitablematerial that is substantiallya non-conductor of sound, and preferablyby means of rubber packing about the supporting rods at their variouspoints of contact with other parts. This packing consists preferably ofrubber bushings O, P, R and S, the bushings O and P being preferablyprovided with radially extending flanges at their ends and forconvenience of application being preferably made in two equallongitudinal sections or halves. The bushing O is peripheral groove andbetween it and the surrounding parts of the strip G. The bushing P isinterposed about the rod and between it and the surrounding parts of theblock H. The bushing R is interposed about the rod between it and thebeam B and the bushings S cover and protect the arms L from directcontact with the beam. a

In the form shown in Fig. 5, straight bolts 0' are used in the place ofthe rods 0 for supporting the track, and as in such case the track is atone side of the vertical plane of support of the bolts, soundinsulated'bearing blocks T are placed behind the track and prevent itfrom tilting. The bolts 0 are provided with slots U to receive asuitable tool therein for rotating them whereby they can be turnedthereby raised or lowered. 1

In some cases it is desirable to extend the track to and insert its endsin parts of the door frame and in such cases for the purpose ofcompleting the sound insulation of the track, it is necessary to protectits ends thus inserted in the frame, by means of a rubber or othernon-conductor of sound in the form of a packing W to prevent directcontact of the metal rail with the door frame.

It will noticed that above the beam B is located a cap plate, B, toprevent tilting of the track. This plate is provided with an openingregistering with the opening of beam B. It is also provided withregistering recesses for theac'commodation of the radially extendingarms L.

No claim is made herein for the devices claimed in my application,Serial No. 429,030, filed on the same day herewith for improvements intracks for door hangers, so far as the same are covered by the claims-inthat application.

What I claim 'as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is- 1. The combination with a door frame, of track suspending rodssecured at their upper extremities to the frame, which rods are bentmedially laterally, a horizontal track suppo'rted adjustably on thelower vertical parts of the rods at a distance therefrom and in thevertical plane of the attachments of the rods to the door frame, andnuts re voluble in blocks affixed to and projecting laterally from theside of the track, which nuts turn on the rods whereby the track sosuspended is adjusted up or down, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a door hanger track, a reinforcing plate at adistance therefrom and parallel thereto, an interposed strip between thetrack and the plate, the track, the plate and the interposed strip beingsecured rigidly together, of suspending bolts or rods each rod beingbent or offset medially and nuts turning thereon, which nuts areinserted revolubly in the strip between the track and plate but withoutendwise movement therein, substantially as described.

3-. The combination of a door hanger track, a reinforcing plate securedthereto parallel therewith, a strip interposed between the rail and theplate, blocks secured to the plate above the strip and rods or boltspassing through the blocks and entering nuts revoluble in the strip,substantially as described.

4.. The combination with a door frame, of rods depending therefrom, ahorizontal track supported on the low-er extremities of the rods at theside thereof, nuts turning on the rods and revoluble in blocks affixedto the track, a sound insulating material interposed between the nutsand the blocks and between the rods and the door frame, substantiallyasdescribed.

5. The combination with a door frame, of track suspending rod-s fixed attheir upper extremities in a part of the frame, which rod-s below theirpoints of attachment are bent to one side of the vertical plane of theirattachments, and a hanger track supported horizontally on the lowerextremities of the suspending rods at a distance therefrom but in thevertical plane of their supporting attachments in the door frame,substantially as described.

6. The combination'of a beam provided with an opening terminating at oneend in a recess, a track suspending rod passing through the opening, anut on the end thereof ha'vi-ng radial arms extending into the recess, acap plate provided with an opening and recess registering with theopening and recess of the beam,and a hanger track supported horizontallyon the lower extremity of the suspending rod, substantially as setforth.

- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

RICHARD W. LUNDY.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR T. MoRsELL, O. F. BENEDICT.

